Hello Reagan Elementary!

 Today I am honored that Mrs. Beran's Second Grade Class is learning about authors! Following a dream and seeing it become a reality is the best thing that you can do to make your mark in the world. As a writer, I can work anywhere and get to meet lots of great people!

I get to promote my books on many radio shows and podcasts!

Writing a book takes careful planning, tons of research, and lots of time. The most important thing in writing is that the message you intend to SEND is the message that the reader RECEIVES. Example:

"Throw the cow over the fence some hay."

What? Should I throw a cow over the fence?? What does hay have to do with that?

How about this instead: "Throw some hay over the fence to the cow."

I also get to meet great people that want me to sign books for them. As a Science Fiction Writer I get to promote my books at Comicons! That is always fun!

Again, I welcome my sister, Mrs Beran and her Second Grade class to my blog, and the wonderful world of books and unchained imagination. I hope that each of you follow your dreams and make a huge impact on the world around you.  God bless each of you!

May the Light shine through you!

D.B. Stearns, Author

 

I'm back!

Work has resumed!!!
My break is over, and I am once again working on Harmonic Wars. I have much work to do, and many surprises planned.  I received some valuable feedback about the books. First, many people have complained about the font size on book one, Guardians of the Crystal Skulls (GoCS). I should start by saying that as an independent author I have no giant publisher carrying the overhead on my projects, so I pay for my editing, publishing, and printing in exchange for a better share on book sales. Some mid-level publishers will cover the costs to a point but then cut deep into your pockets at the sales. I chose to pay up-front and get a much better rated. It was really the only choice I had for book two, Children of the Guardians (CoG), which was a staggering 274,000 words. So I pay for printing, and I worked with the publisher to get more words on each page to keep the page count down to lower costs. On GoCS we went too small, and I think it really hurts my sales. Additionally, there are some other issues with the general flow of the book that you don't find in CoG.

So, I am editing GoCS to make some much-needed improvements to improve readability, as well as increase the font size. I have some new scenes I plan to add that will tie a couple of things in more with the sequel. It will make the book closer to 400 pages, where it should have been anyway.

That leads me to CoG. It is much easier to read due to the larger font size, but it is still downsized from 841 pages by the magic of margins and font size. I am considering adding two scenes, then splitting the book into two volumes. It will help with the overall cost of the book while keeping the story intact as I had envisioned. Even so, there were several scenes that I had to move to book three. This could mean that the outlines that I had for four books could feasibly result in closer to six or more books published. Longevity for this story is a good thing for me, as long as I don't pull a Robert Jordan and die before the story is complete! My wife and I loved his "Wheel of Time" series, but were heartbroken and scared we would never have an ending. To that end, I am going to push harder to get drafts completed of the entire story. At this point, my calendar is filling up quick, but I still need to put products out for my readers.

I will say that I'm working on the draft for book three now, and it is going to be shocking to many readers! My goal is to get on track to be able to release one book per year, which probably means books around the 400-page range. When I get ready to release book three, I will release the second edition of GoCS and Volumes one and two of CoG a short time before. So be watching for those changes to come out.

 I've been thinking about the name for book three, and right now I'm leaning toward Reign of Chaos. What do you think of that title?



Stay tuned, for some shocking things are about to happen!
May the Light Shine Through You!
~D.B. Stearns

Short Break

Hello SciFi friends!

It is with great sadness and relief that I bring the news of my father's passing. The last several months of his life were fantastic, but a horrific struggle nonetheless. My creativity is just not what it was, so I decided to take a short break. I will return with a little time and reflection on the life of a great man. I thank you for your understanding and patience. I still have amazing things planned for Harmonic Wars and have no intention of abandoning this project.

God bless, and tell your families you love them.

Did You Know That?

Did You Know that:
- You can support clean energy initiatives, but not believe in "man-made" global warming (or climate change, or whatever they want to rename it)?
- You can believe in women's rights without believing that only applies to abortion?
- You can think that abortion is wrong without being misogynistic?
- You can be a male who believes in the sanctity of life, believing that abortion is a form of murder, and not be a hypocrite?
- You can support border security without being a racist?
- You can hate the sin without hating the sinner?
- You can be a staunch conservative and still have liberal friends that you love?
- You can disagree with someone without hating them?
- You can still be intelligent while questioning if a socially accepted narrative is correct?
- You can challenge a historically accepted norm like The Theory of Evolution, and still be intelligent?
- You can be a successful white person, and it has nothing to do with white privilege?
- You can be a devout Christian and still believe in border security?
- You can remain a Christian business owner without having to compromise your religious beliefs?
- You can be a Trump supporter without being a Republican?
- You can be a Trump supporter without being racist?
- You can still love our country but hate the direction that politicians are taking?
- You can be so filled with pride in our nation that it brings tears to your eyes when you hear the national anthem, and yet still disagree with a political agenda?
- You can still love your country and despise both the Democrat and Republican organizations?
- You can be a conservative and still believe in protecting our environment?
- You can be a Christian holding on to all its morals and values and still be intelligent?
- You can accept the truth, even if it is inconvenient to you?
- You can change your mind on a topic because you learned a valuable lesson and not be a hypocrite?
- You can learn lessons from people who do not share your values, and not be a hypocrite?
- You do not have to follow the crowd going over the cliff?
- You can still be a Christian without believing that Socialism is good for our country?

All my life I was told not to be afraid, and to do what I thought was right rather than follow the herd mentality. Well, here I go. One person CAN make a difference. Do not be scared to stand up against the growing crowd of cowards who question your integrity and values because they go against their simplistic and grossly mislead views. Also, Socialism does not equal Christianity! We as a race are not mature enough to live in a purely socialistic society, because we harbor too much greed, envy, and jealousy. Our youth have an entitlement mentality that believes Socialism is the answer because it "gives" them what they think they want. In reality, their greed, envy, and jealousy will only increase under those circumstances because the purely corrupt establishment that exists today would still be in charge of the government.

Stand up. Be the one, the leader who brings about the change that we need. Share this with everyone, and make it go viral!


God bless you, and God bless our country!

V/R
D.B. Stearns, Author

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

From my family to all of you, we would like to wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year. This past six months I had to step back from Harmonic Wars due to personal issues. While things have slowed down for Harmonic Wars this year, it has certainly not been slow for us! We have been blessed with being able to spend time with family and friends. We feel super blessed to have our parents still here for birthdays and holidays. As we all get older, the reality sets in that our parents will not always be here. So please take as much time as you can to spend with your family, and as always tell them you love them.

We have some big plans on the way for Harmonic Wars this coming year! I have begun working on the long-awaited second edition to Guardians of the Crystal Skulls. I have ideas for some new scenes, and the cover will get a massive make-over. The plan is to make the cover as dramatic as Children of the Guardians is. I even intend to include a hidden crystal skull, as I did on Children...oh you didn't know that? I love Easter eggs!

Work has also begun on book 3. Someone will make the ultimate sacrifice, but who will it be? And what about the return of the Warrior Guild army troops that were lost in the Transgate for centuries? How will the Science Guild address the destruction of the power grid and the chaos that it brings?

Please go to http://3lpublishing.flyingcart.com/ to receive amazing discounts of both books in the Harmonic Wars series when bundled together. We have also dropped the price of Children of the Guardians on Kindle and Nook. Technical difficulties have presented challenges to price changes on iBooks, but we are working through it!

Life on Titan

I apologize that it's been a while since I updated my blog. My father has entered hospice care and has stopped the cancer treatments to let nature take its course. While we are sad, we are at peace with this decision. We know that God has a plan and a purpose, so we trust in Him.

Now back to Harmonic Wars...

In book two, Children of the Guardians, I wrote about how the Warrior Guild fled to the Saturn moon of Titan long ago. They revived an abandoned base that was in a "caretaker" status with only a few scientists left doing some experiments. But how would people survive on a planet that rained liquid methane? Wouldn't a single spark blow up the moon? Well, the lack of oxygen there would undoubtedly help prevent explosions, but if a colony were there, then oxygen would eventually find its way to the surface. So how would spaceships enter and exit the atmosphere without using an explosive propellant?

I had to think outside of the box, so here we go!

Friends, I give you Space Loops. These giant loops would propel a spaceship along a track much like a railgun uses magnetic pulses to accelerate a projectile. But why rely on that alone? I decided to add the planetary spin into the equation, and placed the Space Loops at the equator. The spacecraft would start at the top of a small loop being accelerated by gravity and the magnetic pulses on the way down the loop. As it began the journey up the loop, the magnetic pulses would maintain the same speed until it reached the top of the next loop. Each loop would increase in size until the craft could reach escape velocity.

What would be the advantages? The most obvious is that the rocket propellants we use today are highly explosive and dangerous. They are also very expensive. While the Space Loops would be expensive to construct initially, they would eventually pay for themselves because they could safely accomplish multiple launches. Using the natural energies of the planet (gravity, and rotational spin) would be another advantage. With the abundance of liquid methane on Titan to fuel their power plants, there would be a surplus of energy to operate these structures.

The less obvious advantage would be the launch process itself. The passengers would have considerably less stress on take off as the ship was slowly accelerated instead of a massive controlled explosion that we see today. This would also be considerably safer as well.

Children of the Guardians is available now through Kindle, Nook, and iBooks. You will find multiple options for printed copies through http://3lpublishing.flyingcart.com/ one of which includes a book bundle with book one Guardians of the Crystal Skulls for $8 off the regular combined price, which is also available on Kindle, Nook, and iBooks.

Anti-Grav Suits

What if you discovered a way to control all forms of matter surrounding you? How powerful would that be, and what would be the best way to interface with such a device? More importantly, how would you protect that technology from your enemies?

In Harmonic Wars, the Science Guild rediscovered a lost technology and protected the device from their enemies, the Warrior Guild, by making it accessible only to those of genetic descent from the Balsarius who made up the bulk of the Science Guild. The Anti-Grav Suits they created bonded with the wearer through a neural connection embedded in the suit.

Imagine being able to sense, feel, and control all forms of matter (solid, gas, and liquid) surrounding you! In Harmonic Wars, the first thing a new person noticed was the tremendous sound of the vibrations around them. If you were out in nature, the sound would be the most beautiful sound imagined, in perfect harmony as nature intended. But if you were in a large city, you would almost be overcome by the harshness and dissonance screaming all around you. This is why the Guardians taught their descendants in the peaceful mountains of Peru.

I want to share with you an excerpt from book two, Children of the Guardians, where teenaged character Ricky Chambers is bonded to an Anti-Grav Suit. Enjoy!

   Ana placed her hands on the top of the chest and hummed softly. The chest glowed momentarily, almost like a scanner before it opened to reveal several dark multicolored suits in the bottom.
   “Here, Ricky. They’re self-fitting,” Ana said as she handed him one.
   “Okay, what do you mean by bonding? Is this going to hurt?” Ricky asked.
   “You may experience some discomfort,” Ana replied. “The suit must connect to your nervous system through your spinal cord.”
   “You sound like a doctor. ‘Discomfort’ is code for ‘hurts like hell,’ isn't it?” Ricky asked.
   “It ain't that bad!” replied Manny.
   “Fine. Should I put it on now?” asked Ricky.
   “No time like the present!” Ana said with a smile.
   “Pun intended?” Ricky asked.
   Ana smiled and replied, “Guilty. Oh, you’ll have to take your clothes off. The suit needs contact with your skin. I’ll turn around.”
   Ricky quickly stripped then put on the suit. It was warm like it had just been taken out of the dryer. The suit was like a giant pair of baby PJs, complete with built-in areas for your feet and hands that left your fingers exposed. Ricky felt bumps all along the back and feet. To get his hands and feet in place, he bunched the suit up at his ankles and wrists like an oversized set of coveralls.
   “Okay, you can turn around, I guess,” Ricky said uncertainly. “How does this thing work?”
   Ana looked at Ricky and said, “Just relax and don’t fight the bonding process. Clear your mind and I’ll help to calm you. The more you fight it, the more it’ll hurt.”
    “Okay, that doesn’t sound fun, but whatever. What’s next?” Ricky asked.
   “Just relax, and do what I say.”
   “Okay. Let’s do this!”
   Ana projected calmness to Ricky. “Close your eyes and clear your mind. Concentrate on the suit and let it take over.”
   Ricky cleared his mind as he closed his eyes. He felt the warm suit against his skin. Then he felt the suit tighten up around his arms and legs and continue upwards until it touched every part of his body. Ricky became acutely aware now of all the bumps that now pressed against his spinal chord, feet, and hands. Then all at once, Ricky felt needle pricks enter his skin on every one of those bumps.
Relax and accept. The thought entered his mind, and a wave of calmness fell over Ricky. Ricky concentrated on the peace Ana projected as the suit united with him. He was aware of his muscles going into spasms, and great pain flashed for just a moment in his mind, and then it was gone. Now the only thing left was a kind of awareness unlike anything he had known before. It overwhelmed him as the sound rushed in all at once.
   Everything resonated on its own pitch. At first, the sound was deafening, but then Ricky learned how to control the volume, and it soon became a dull noise in the background. The most amazing thing was the sense of balance and oneness he felt in his mind. He was more aware of his surroundings. Ricky felt the earth beneath his feet at the molecular level. He felt the water in the lake off to the side and the caverns below. Ricky sensed the minerals, dirt and rocks, the trees and every living thing that surrounded him. There were so many more living things around him than he had ever realized.
   Ricky opened his eyes and saw everything looked so crystal clear now. It was as if he had been watching an old black-and-white television and had just been given a high-definition big screen. Ricky saw details that he never dreamed were possible before – things like the tiniest veins on the leaves on the trees and the definition of the sand crystals that rested on the rocks below them beside the lake. Everything was much more colorful and beautiful than he ever imagined. Ricky had never been a very religious person before now, but this was different. He didn’t feel like God, but he could sense that there was a higher purpose to the order of things and that there was a kind of “rightness” to things when they were in balance with the natural order of the universe. Ricky felt the simplicity and complexity of the universe all rolled up together, and he knew from that point that all living things were connected in some way. He felt powerful and insignificant all at the same time. It was very confusing.
   Ricky heard Ana speak to him in the background.
   “Are you okay, young man?”
   “Yeah,” Ricky replied as tears streamed down his face. “If everyone could feel this, things would be different.”
   “I think you are right, my young friend,” Ana replied as she put her arm around him and led him to his bunk. “Go lay down and rest. You have much to absorb.”
   Ricky laid down in wonder, like a child who has viewed the world for the first time.

Harmonic Wars: Children of the Guardians is now available on Kindle, Nook, and iBooks. I am excited that there has been a big enough request for the printed versions found only at 3LPublishing.flyingcart.com that we had to place them on back order while they are being printed! Get your copy today!